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December 4, 2010

I came across the article below called "Missing Pieces," on my 5 minute faith for mom’s devotional. I connected with it so well, especially during this holiday season. It seems I have been having the “Holiday Blues.” I can’t really get into the Spirit of Christmas and all the decorating and shopping. I find myself envious and filled with anger for those who are so happy it is Christmas. I look at the joy in my girls and want to so badly to feel joyful for them. I am faking it and just going through the motions. I am excited for our tree to come but not excited about decorating it. I keep hoping to get out of this funk soon. Maybe when I do decorate the tree I will feel more into the season. I know it is about thanks for the birth of Jesus and I am truly thankful. But the sadness I feel is followed by a year full of pain, makes it hard to see past the darkness into the light.

I feel the missing pieces of my life have been thrown away. The loss of my brother that I now feel a part of me is gone, my husband’s job loss, my fears for the future, and the longing I have to fix things and make it “normal” again. I want those pieces back so badly that I keep holding on to them and thinking the missing ones will come back. I try to stay steadfast in all that I do. Continuing to read scripture, look to the Lord, and pray for hope, comfort, and peace. I know the things that lay ahead are going to be tough so I will continue to pray. Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. And I will know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

I learned that Jesus will restore and make new again what has been damaged. He resisted the devils temptations, cured those with demons, healed the sick, and made it known that he was here to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. If only we could drive out temptations, resist the devil, and overcome the sins that plague our lives. But one thing is for certain, God will heal your pain and cast out the demons that haunt you, he will make you well again; we just have to trust, have faith, and continue to surrender. Who else can you trust besides the one that has the whole world in his hands?

That is my daughter Ava’s favorite song; she likes to hear that God has Ava in his hands. And my goodness, he surely does.

Missing Pieces
Written on December 3, 2010 by Rachel in Blog, Devotional, Rachel
Yesterday, I did the unthinkable. Well, at least for me, the mom who likes everything organized and tidy. While cleaning my laundry storage shelves, I grabbed the bag of mismatched puzzles, put together the puzzles with all the pieces, and then THREW AWAY THE LEFT-OVER PUZZLE PIECES. I had been holding onto these pieces for years…hoping that the missing piece would show up…afraid that if I threw away the puzzle then I would find the piece. So there they sat – lone pieces, taking up space.
Throwing away those pieces was freeing. As soon as I began, I wondered why it took me so long to let them go. Why had I held on to them for three years?
Life, especially our past, are like those pieces. How many years do we cling to bitterness, grief, or anger? We grip those pieces of our puzzles, hoping for that last piece – the one that would explain why something happened, or the one that would justify our feelings. We look and look, and through not letting go those missing puzzle pieces color today.
In this earthly life sometimes the pieces won’t be revealed. We won’t know how everything fits together. Yet someone knows — our heavenly Father. He knows how all the pieces intersect. He’s holds the “box”, the big picture of our lives.
There are times where the puzzles of the past need to be let go and released to the Father. In that letting go, the seeds of hope can begin to grow. In those moments the hope is not in what is seen….or remembered….or learned….but is in a present, a future in Christ.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
What puzzle pieces are you clinging to today? Are there some pieces that you need to just let go? Our Father in heaven is so good. When the past is released, He fills that gap with joy, hope, and peace. My future is in Him, your future is in Him — In Christ. Not on yesterday’s worn pieces.

Rachel Martin is a wife to a fabulous cancer-surviving husband, and a homeschooling mother to seven amazing children. Her days are filled with diaper changes to algebra to helping run a local home school association. Her blog Finding Joy chronicles her journey of faith, daily life with seven children, and the humor of every day. She strives to be real, raw, funny, and encouraging -- make sure to visit her blog or follow her on facebook.

8 comments:

God is good. I never asked "WHY" when he took my brother home 8.5 years ago. He's in my heart and where he is safe and I trust our Lord more than anything in this world. I'm hurt and a part of me is broken but I'm also joyful that our life is in his hands...our girls are who we must live for, we must embrace each moment with them...for God is remarkably powerful and his plan for us is great....

cheer up dollface! I know how you feel-we're in this together:) Don't make me bust into tears....too late! lots of LOVE

Thank you for such a heart-felt and honest post. So many of us can relate to your feelings. Its okay.God understands. He loves you and is waiting for you to surrender it all. It may be a process for you. I have a feeling it is all ready under way. God bless you on this Advent journey.

Bless your heart. The first Christmas after the loss of a loved one is really hard. I have been there. Just remember that he is spending Christmas with Jesus this year.Keep your focus on God. He will hold you up when you can't and He knows and will supply all of your needs.Blessings, Annette

I just now got back from playing a trad session where at the end, one of the elderly men gave me a small sprig covered in small, delicate purple bud shaped flowers. He asked if I knew what it was. I did. It is heather. It is grows wild here and is quite prolific, at least in late summer. Yet here we are in December in the midst of a record breaking cold snap with nothing but icy roads and freezing temps. And yet here I sit holding this beautiful piece of evidence that God can make something beautiful even when all reason says it is impossible.

So when I read your post, my heart stirred. I can't imagine what your pain is, but I know God IS with you. I know He can do the impossible. I know that even in these harshest conditions, both in circumstance and also in perhaps how you see yourself in the process, God sees you as His beautiful daughter, His precious Heather.

I'm sorry for all the things that have contributed to your lack of enthusiasm for Christmas this year. I pray God will send you a special blessing this year that you will know that He is in control and no matter what the circumstances that He loves you and there will be much brighter days ahead. Prayers and blessings,Charlotte

Followers

For Richard...

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new I thought about you yesterday and days before that too, I think of you in silence I often speak your name All I have are memories and your picture in a frame Your memory is my keepsake with which I’ll never part God has you in His keeping I have you in my heart.